The Art of Stealing a Heart
by MyVintageLove
Summary: "This, kids, is the Tesseract, also known as 'Cosmic Cube'. Not only is it the biggest sapphire in the world, but also cut into a perfect cube, hence the name. It was in our possession for years until a week ago, when one Loki Laufeyson decided it was fun to steal it." - Roski sequel


**Author's note:** And here we go again! I'm not quite sure how often I will update this fic, because it need a lot of rewriting for the few chapters I already have and a lot of writing after that. So please, be patient. And gentle with this story, I'm super anxious about it being good. But enjoy, anyway!

* * *

The buildings were taller than expected, the air stuffy, the noise never-ending. Yellow cabs were driving by her fast and she could smell the hot-dog stand from where she was, the simple idea of eating sausages at ten in the morning making her sick. Handle of a suitcase in her hand, Rose was standing in front of a forty-something floor building, wondering for the hundredth time that day what she was doing here. A big sign in front of her stated 'Federal Office'. She felt like she had been dragged into some TV show and it was enough to make her hate New York.

But here she was.

With a sigh, she decided to finally enter the building. The hall was massive, all in white and silver, with a row of lifts on the wall opposite the entrance, with a whole security system – guards, access control, and at least a dozen of cameras – and she stood in the middle of the room, enthralled. She was so busy admiring everything – they didn't have such a budget, in good old Great Britain – than she was startled by a feminine voice.

"Miss? Excuse me, Miss, are you lost?"

Rose turned her head to what she guessed was the front desk, a little brunette women looking at her expectantly. Shaking her head, Rose immediately came toward her and leant against the desk. Her eyes drifted on the women's name tag, reading 'Darcy Lewis', and she smiled lightly.

"Hello, I'm Rose Tyler, I..."

"Yeah, I know, F.B.I. and top secret mission and everything." Rose raised an eyebrow at the brunette's bored voice and the way she was obviously divulging secret information like it was the latest gossips. "I know Betty Ross from the white collar department, don't worry." Darcy gave her a card, which already had Rose's picture and name on it, and nodded toward the lifts. "Twenty-third floor. Don't lose your card, you'll need it every time you enter the building. Don't be afraid by Stark, he growls a lot but has never bitten anyone."

And, with that, the brunette went back to her computer work, leaving Rose to her own business. The blonde looked around her, lost like a little girl on her first day of school, then headed to where she was meant to go. Less than five minutes later, the lift doors opened on the F.B.I. floor. She made a few uncertain steps in, wondering if there was somebody in particular she had to talk to, but everyone seemed to mind their own business, working at their desk or passing by without noticing her.

Then, out of nowhere, someone came to stand behind her and, when she turned around, she met bright blue eyes. She had to take a step back, being way too close to the stranger for her liking, and it allowed her to have a good look at him. He was taller than her, obviously, but it was his muscles that stood out. That and his lovely face, with the welcoming smile and the soft features. He was an agent – the perfect suit said so – yet she was unable to imagine him doing such a job.

"Hello. Rose, that's right? I'm Agent Steve Rogers, we'll be working together on that case."

"Nice to meet you." Her smile was genuine, trusting him in a heartbeat. There was something about him, about his confident voice, which exuded law and order. Maybe he wasn't that out of place after all.

"Shall we begin by a tour so you'll know the office?"

He didn't even wait for her to nod as he dragged her everywhere in the office, showing her the desk they had prepared for her, should Rose want to have her own space, reunion rooms and where to have a break, the archives and interrogation rooms. He then stopped in front of a double door, heavy and silvery.

"And this is our playground."

He pushed the door and let her enter first. Immediately, she could feel a different atmosphere from all those serious workaholic suits. Well, she could hear it, with Black Sabbath playing out loud, and she guessed the doors were not as heavy as they were soundproof. The room, larger than your usual reunion room, was darker than when she was coming from, lacking big windows to bring some light in. Everywhere she looked, electronic devises stood on the desks, shields, even on a chair. The man standing the closest to the door, wearing glasses and a purple shirt, only waved at her when he noticed her. Another one, smaller, with a goatee, dressed like a high school dropout – obviously the one putting the music that loud – got closer as soon as his eyes laid on Steve Rogers.

"Hey, Cap. So this is her?" But he never looked at Steve saying that, his eyes only on Rose in a disagreeable way.

"Yes. Rose Tyler, let me introduce you to Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, our computer scientists. And..." Steve frowned and looked around him, obviously not finding what he was looking for. "Where's she?"

Tony grinned. "Queen Victoria! Come and say hello to Queen Elizabeth!"

It was Rose's turn to frown and look around her, when a little head popped up behind a computer, big chocolate eyes looking at her with curiosity. The two women only stared at each other for a few seconds, until the brunette decided to get closer with little hasty steps. She looked so young, probably not even twenty, and so out of context with her red dress and snickers and her boyish smile. Well, not so out of context in this particular room, but the three of them looked nothing like F.B.I. agents, and Rose couldn't help but wonder what she was doing there. Thankfully, Steve Rogers was here to reassure her on the serious of the situation.

"Hi, I'm Clara, nice to meet you," the girl chirped, and her Londoner's accent matched Rose's.

* * *

He'd come to her the week before, a shadow in her flat, scaring her to death; Nick Fury wanted to know all about her relationship with Loki and, Rose had understood really quickly that, what Nick Fury wanted, he got. She told him everything from her undercover work to what she knew from Sif – purposely forgetting to mention about her little adventure-massacre with the Doctor. The fact that Sif was right about Loki getting himself into trouble didn't come as a surprise to Rose, she'd expected it. The F.B.I. asking for her help on the case was unexpected, though. And that was how she found a one way ticket to New York in her mail box the following day. And that was how she found herself in the city that never sleeps a week later, having no idea what Loki was up to – or how to stop him in his shenanigans, for all it mattered, as she mostly likely was the last person he wanted to see – and trying to be friendly with a bunch of weird people in a federal office. How her life had become such a mess, Rose Tyler had no idea.

But that bunch of people, they weren't that bad. Well, if you forgot about Tony Stark's sexist sense of humour of course. Or, more disturbing for the blonde women, the fact this Clara Oswin girl used to be part of the Dalek cartel but had been a double agent for the bureau during her teenage years – as well as being a computer genius. Bruce Banner was the most mysterious of the gang, talking only if he had to, and she'd learnt by Steve that he was the geek lab, the only doing all the tests when it came to DNA and evidences.

They spent the whole morning learning to know each other, and Rose found them all to be good company. She particularly liked that Steve Rogers, with his quiet behaviour and nice smiles. He looked so young to be a captain – if the nickname Tony kept using was indeed his grade – but she already trusted him with his job, as he seemed to be a perfect leader. When they left for lunch, just a quick break to buy some Chinese take-out, he took her aside, while Tony and Bruce were chatting about something having to do with Curiosity and Clara was happily scurrying behind them. Rose looked at Steve curiously, as he suddenly seemed to be nervous, looking away and scratching the back of his neck. Such behaviour reminded her of the Doctor, and she had to focus on the F.B.I. badge pinned on his chest not to let her thoughts wander.

"I'm sorry for being intrusive, Rose, but as you work for the British government, I can't help but asking... Do you know one Agent Peggy – Margaret Carter?"

Rose frowned, the name ringing some bell, but not understanding why Steve would ask her such a thing. "I'm sorry, I've heard of that name but I don't know her. She's probably Scotland Yard or from another S.I.S agency..." The face Steve made at that moment, like a sad puppy under the pouring rain, almost broke her heart, and Rose understood it most likely was more than just 'asking about some old colleague'. She bit her lip with an apologizing smile. "Do you want me to ask my friends back in London?"

"No, no, don't bother. Thank you anyway." He put his hands in his pockets, trying to look casual – and failing. "Come on, we'd better hurry if we don't want to stand in line forever."

He flashed a smile as he took her hand, and Rose knew there was no way she would end hating Steve Rogers.

* * *

"I tell you it's 'chips', not 'fries'! And with do you consider them French anyway? It is known there were created in Belgium!"

"I beg to differ, Lady Di!" Tony retorted, pointing a chopstick at Rose, which made her giggle. "Chips are a whole different story. You English know nothing about gastronomy!"

Rose let out an outraged yet amused gasp, ready to answer back, with Bruce chuckling by her side at that childish argument about the vocabulary differences between their two countries, when the door was loudly opened. It crashed against the wall, making Clara jump, and they all felt silent as Director Nick Fury entered the room. He stood in front of them, hands in the pockets of his long coat – Rose officially no longer believed all F.B.I. agents were required to wear a suit at work – and didn't bother to sit down with them. She knew it was all about professional hierarchy, and it was working quite well on her: she felt she would never be able to answer back at anything Nick fury could say. Or call him anything including other words than 'Director Nick Fury', for all it mattered.

"Well, I see you all got acquainted with one another so the party is over and we can all get down to business."

"To defeat the Huns."

"Shut up, Starks." Directory Fury was unruffled, not reacting to Tony's snarky comment or to Clara chocking on her fortune cookie. Bruce patted her back without looking away from his superior. "We've got a lot to work ahead of us and the faster we start, the faster we can put that little shit in jail."

Rose didn't need the subtexts, perfectly knowing Loki was the little shit. Fury threw files at them, and they slid to them on the table. Rose opened her without a word, Loki's picture attached to the file, his piercing green eyes staring at her. Another picture was following, one of the biggest stones she had ever seen.

"This, kids, is the Tesseract, also known as 'Cosmic Cube'. Not only is it the biggest sapphire in the world, but also cut into a perfect cube, hence the name. It was in our possession for years until a week ago, when one Loki Laufeyson decided it was fun to steal it."

"I know this rock." Tony and Steve, who had said the same thing at the same moment, looked at each other with a smirk. Tony kept talking, "My father worked on putting this gem in security. Project Pegasus, it was called."

"I worked on that project too," Steve added. "Two years ago. And I recall the security was, indeed, flawless."

Rose's snort, loud and full of sarcasm, shut the both of them up as everyone looked at her. Her cheeks went a little pinker but no enough for her to truly look embarrassed. Nick Fury raised the brow from his valid eye at her, as daring her to produce another sound like that one. She was stubborn enough to speak. "That's why I'm here, innit? Because I've worked with him so you want my inside on how to catch him? So there's one thing you need to know: you may believe your security system, your safe, your everything is flawless, but it's not to him. He'll find that one flaw and he'll use it. If Loki wants to steal something, you can be damn sure he'll find his way. And I bet you he's already sold it on the black market anyway. He only keeps canvases from the Impressionism period."

They all remained silent for a while, as Rose folded her arms and looked pointedly at Nick fury. As in slow-motion, the four other ones turned their head from her to the director. "She seems to have a point, boss," Bruce said softly.

"Yeah, maybe. But what is stolen is stolen and, as surprising as it can be, it's not the worst part of the story. One of our moles told me the Tesseract is still in New York, and still in Loki's possession. He apparently was hired by..."

"Loki always works alone, he'd never..."

"Will you stop interrupting me?" The glare Nick Fury gave to Rose was enough to shut her up and even to make her hunch her shoulders. "Good. As I was saying, he apparently was hired by the Other."

Nick Fury gave some more instructions then left, but Rose was too busy reading Loki's file to notice him. It described Loki's alleged crimes – the Van Gogh and the Fabergé Egg were both part of the list – as well as his presume partners, and Rose was relieved to see her name but not Sif's. Bringing the Norse brunette into this madness was the last thing Rose wanted to do. It didn't stop her from finding it amusing to be seen as one of his partners, knowing she had never committed a real crime with him, but she didn't mind the title. Another page was recording all the facts about his childhood, from school to noticeable medical records, and she couldn't help but see the words "Biological surname: Laufeyson, Surname: Odinson". She frowned at that. Was he adopted? Was it why the Odinsons brothers didn't seem to get along? Putting aside her curiosity, she looked at the following pages, describing who this 'Other' was – and she felt almost disappointed it wasn't a Lost reference. Then disappointment turned into fear for the thief as she kept reading.

She had heard about the different mafias of New York before, but it always was in films and TV shows. Never would have she believed she'd be involved with one of them. And yet it was there, on the paper, all the crimes this Other and his gang – the Chitauris, and wasn't that the weirdest mobsters name ever – had committed in the past twenty years. Art thief was obviously the top of the iceberg, just for pocket money. Drug traffic, pimping, arms dealing, murders here and there... The list seemed endless to her. She sighed heavily, pressing her palms against her arms.

"What did you get yourself into, Loki?" she whispered. She was startled when she felt a hand on her arm, only to find Bruce compassionately smiling at her. She smiled back, weakly.

"Don't worry, the Chitauris are really influential and dangerous. He probably only did it for his own safety."

"Yeah, I hope so."

* * *

The two following days, nothing happened. She would show up at the bureau every morning, would come in that room that obviously was only theirs, and would wait for something, anything, to happen. Clara had shown her the facial recognition system she had set up, using all the cameras in town to find Loki. If his face appeared on any camera, they would be the first informed. And that was basically it, waiting for Loki to show up or for one of the moles to give them more insides on the Chitauris mobsters.

Rose's days were spent talking with Clara about good old England – both of them were coming from London, after all, they had things to share – and about the Daleks. Clara wasn't that surprised when she learnt about Rose being a companion of the Doctor's. Actually, she asked her more about him and seemed disappointed when she was told that, no, he wasn't wearing a bowtie and a tweed jacket but a pinstriped suit.

And when she wasn't talking with Clara, she was bickering with Tony – which annoyed everyone but the two of them – or chatting with Bruce and Steve. At the end of her second day in New York, she found herself quite attached to this eclectic group, feeling as comfortable with them as she used to be with Mickey and Jake. Tony was teaching Clara how to play the poker, and Bruce was telling Rose about human mutations and DNA when Steve entered the room, cups from the nearby coffee shop in his hands.

"Is it normal, the red light blinking on the screen?" he asked lightly while handing her drink to Rose.

Clara raised her head and yelped, dropping her cards on the table to run to the screen. "We found him!" she said, and it was enough for all of them to follow her and stand in front of the screen. And, indeed, here he was, with his perfect suit and his little smirk.

"He's not even hiding", Steve noticed. "Where is that from?"

"Metropolitan Opera, five minutes ago."

Rose had to put a hand in front of her mouth not to make any embarrassing noise. "He knows I'm here." She could feel eyes on her but hers remained on Loki's picture on the screen. "We were supposed to go to the opera, the last night I saw him. He's sending me a message."

"Come and find me", Tony said with a fake British accent. Rose could only nod to approve his words.

* * *

Reviews are always welcome!


End file.
